Four area hospitals assist RLC in Rural Health Experience

INA, Ill. (Sept. 5, 2014) - Four students got up close and personal with their chosen health profession, thanks to the Rural Health Experience program, sponsored by the South Central Illinois Area Health Education Center (SCI-AHEC) and hosted at four local hospitals.

The Rural Health Experience program is a three- to five-day immersion program wherein students shadow health professionals and others in a rural area. It is intended for college, graduate, or professional-level students in their first or second year in a health profession program to learn about the health care system in a rural community. The local hospitals serve as host sites for the students, connecting them to various health care organizations during their study.

Washington County Hospital in Nashville hosted Mariah Sisson of Virden. Sisson is currently enrolled in the RMED (Rural Medical Education) program at the University of Illinois, College of Medicine. Also enrolled in U of I, College of Medicine’s RMED program is Cameron Overcash of Ottawa. Overcash attended the Rural Health Experience program at Pana Community Hospital in Pana.

“Although I myself might not be making home care visits in the future, I now have a newfound respect for these dedicated nurses who do make these visits,” said Overcash of his time at Pana Community Hospital. “I don’t think I would have ever known exactly what these nurses do if it wasn’t for this opportunity.”

Crawford Memorial Hospital in Robinson hosted Linda Nystrom of Western Springs. Nystrom is currently enrolled in the Family Nurse Practitioner program at North Park University in Chicago.

Kelly Kyle of Crawfordsville, Ind., attended the Rural Health Experience program at St. Mary’s Hospital in Centralia. Kyle is currently enrolled in the PA (Physician’s Assistant) program at Butler University in Indianapolis, Ind.

Of her experience, Kyle said, “I not only got to experience the overall ideal of what it took for the hospital to run, but I also began to complete the puzzle of the many roles and responsibilities of each health care team member who I had the privilege of shadowing.”

For more information about SCI-AHEC or the Rural Health Experience program, contact Kelli Stover at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1280 or stoverk@rlc.edu.